PROSECUTORS are appealing against the "unduly lenient" sentence handed out to a sailor who caused the death of a Royal Navy friend in a car crash.

The Crown Prosecution Service is to take the case of Anthony John Caine, formerly of Bowland House, Newton, to the Court of Appeal.

Caine, 22, admitted causing death by dangerous driving at Taunton Crown Court in June and walked free from court with a £750 fine, a five-year driving ban and 100 hours community service.

He was the driver of a Citroen car which collided with another vehicle at a notorious accident blackspot at Vagg Hill crossroads in Yeovil, Somerset, last February. Passenger David Robert Hale, 24, who served with Caine at Royal Navy Air Station Yeovilton, died shortly after the accident.

A spokesman for the Avon and Somerset Crown Prosecution Service today confirmed that the sentence was scheduled for review at the Court of Appeal in London next month.

"I can confirm that it was an unduly lenient sentence and that we are taking the matter to the Court of Appeal," she said.

A question mark hung over Caine's naval career following the incident, but Navy bosses were today standing by him.

A Royal Navy spokesman confirmed he was still in service at RNAS Yeovilton as an engineering mechanic after an internal inquiry.

"I can confirm that he is still in service here, but to comment on the appeal would not be appropriate at this stage. We will not comment pending the outcome of the case," he said.

David Robert Hale was described by navy bosses in court as "popular and promising".

He was a talented footballer, who had played for Tranmere Rovers and Chester City, and had been married for just 12 weeks at the time of the accident.

His family were shocked by the leniency of Caine's sentence.

The dead man's brother, Mike Hale, of Wallasey, fought to have the case reviewed.